1
a
: a swift-footed 2-toed flightless ratite bird (Struthio camelus) of Africa that is the largest of existing birds and often weighs 300 pounds (140 kilograms)
b
: rhea
c
: leather made from ostrich skin
2
[from the belief that the ostrich when pursued hides its head in the sand and believes itself to be unseen]
: one who attempts to avoid danger or difficulty by refusing to face it
Examples of ostrich in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
It is named after a champion cutting horse and features ostrich vamps, goat quarters and roses stitched into the leather.
—
Jean E. Palmieri, WWD, 21 Mar. 2025
Each fixture looks like a big gray Lego block, with a round socket holding a bulb the size of an ostrich egg encased in a thick glass globe, like a gumball machine.
—Diego Lasarte, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
Experimental reenactments suggested that, at Little Muck Shelter, trimming ostrich-eggshell beads before perforating them was slightly more successful than perforating before trimming.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025
To a wild-card berth highlighted by Hedges’ smashing of an ostrich egg on the final weekend of the regular season, with yolk flying everywhere.
—Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
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Jean E. Palmieri, WWD, 21 Mar. 2025
Each fixture looks like a big gray Lego block, with a round socket holding a bulb the size of an ostrich egg encased in a thick glass globe, like a gumball machine.
—Diego Lasarte, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
Experimental reenactments suggested that, at Little Muck Shelter, trimming ostrich-eggshell beads before perforating them was slightly more successful than perforating before trimming.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 3 Mar. 2025
To a wild-card berth highlighted by Hedges’ smashing of an ostrich egg on the final weekend of the regular season, with yolk flying everywhere.
—Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ostrich
Cite this Entry
“Ostrich.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ostrich. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ostrich
noun
os·trich
ˈäs-trich 
ˈȯs-
1
: a very large bird of Africa that often weighs as much as 300 pounds (140 kilograms), runs very quickly but cannot fly, and has large wing and tail feathers used especially formerly in dusters and fans and to adorn hats and clothing
2
: one who tries to avoid danger by refusing to face it
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